


Chinese Whispers

by Tarlan



Category: Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
Genre: Community: smallfandomfest, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-07-27
Updated: 2009-07-27
Packaged: 2017-10-21 20:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/229742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thinking of Nickie with a beach full of hot babes makes Peter realize he is jealous of THEM rather than of Nickie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chinese Whispers

**Author's Note:**

> Follows from _Chill Ride_ (Nickie's last appearance)  
>  **Notes/Warnings:** Beware the sugar-overload!

Peter sauntered quietly into Nickie's office and leaned up against the filing cabinet, taking a moment to study the bowed head. His eyes were drawn to hands that had lost some of their usual paleness after Nickie's vacation in the sun, and he watched indulgently as Nickie studied one of the many coroner's reports scattered across his desk.

Breaking the silence, he asked, "So how was.. Hawaii," drawing out the name to give it greater emphasis, and enjoying the way Nickie's head snapped up in surprise. Peter grinned; he loved sneaking up on Nickie just so he could catch that wide-eyed shock in his bright blue eyes. His smile faltered almost immediately.

"No beard?"

With his usual social innocence, Nickie blurted out, "The first babe I approached slapped me around the face and called me a dirty old man." He mumbled something about how the beard was supposed to have made him look sophisticated and distinguished. "I shaved it off after the fourth time."

"You look better without the beard."

Nickie sighed in exasperation. "And you couldn't tell me this during the six weeks I spent growing it?"

Peter felt a twinge of guilt because, yeah, he could have said something. It had taken this break from Nickie's company to make him realize why he'd made no attempt to help Nickie choose the right clothes to attract the women; why he had told him he looked great in the mismatched Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts, and with that ridiculous beard that had aged him well beyond his years. Whether deliberate or not, Peter had picked out colors and patterns that clashed, in shades and vibrant tones that did nothing for Nickie's coloring, serving only to make him less desirable to the opposite sex... or any sex. It had taken a few days before Peter could face the hard truth that he'd hated the thought of Nickie in Hawaii all alone with a beach full of scantily dressed, hot babes.

He felt guilty because Nickie had trusted in his opinion, and Peter had led him astray because, subconsciously, he couldn't handle the thought of anyone else with Nickie.

Looking down into Nickie's now bare and vulnerable face, into liquid blue eyes that shone with so much innocence despite a career spent seeing the worst that could happen to a human body, Peter felt even more guilty at the betrayal. For years he had ignored the Chinese whispers passed from person to person around the bullpen; whispers that should have distorted the truth but, in his case, had narrowed to razor-sharp precision on how he felt about Nickie. He'd tried to hide from the truth by dating one beautiful woman after another, almost prepared to marry just to prove the whispers were wrong, if only to himself. He'd treated Nickie as if he was just another one of the guys, trying not to notice how the world seemed brighter when Nickie smiled, and how it seemed darker when he was hurt or sad.

He'd practically torn his dad's head off last week when he asked if Peter was going to meet Nickie's plane, gaining only a raised eyebrow and a knowing shake of the head that had only made Peter feel even more guilty. It was obvious now that his father had known how he felt about Nickie all along, and it should have been obvious to Peter after he spent several nights lying in his bed wondering who was touching Nickie at that very moment, and feeling intensely jealous of them rather than of Nickie.

"So.." he cleared his throat and forced out the words as he stared into the handsome, boyish face. "Meet any hot babes?"

Nickie grimaced. "Loads but..." He grimaced again. "There was an accident at the hotel, and they weren't so pleased afterwards when I mentioned I usually worked with dead bodies."

Peter sank down onto the edge of the desk having pushed aside some of the precariously hanging reports. "You trained as a doctor on the living before you moved to forensics."

"I know! I just prefer... dead patients. In truth, it wasn't as hot as I expected it to be. I mean the babes...not the weather." He gave a small chuckle. "The weather was too hot." He indicated towards his sunburned skin, smile falling. "I felt pretty lonely there." He clicked his fingers, eyes glittering with excitement. "Come with me next time! We could hang out, watch the surfing and... and build sand castles and splash in the ocean."

"I'm not so interested in the hot babes, Nickie."

Nickie looked down, one side of his mouth turning down as if in shame and Peter thought he murmured, "Neither am I," but the words were too indistinct to make out clearly. Nickie looked back up with an uncomfortable smile and indicated towards all the reports. "Well, got lots of work to catch up on so..."

"So I'll see you later then."

Peter turned back once he reached the threshold and pointed at Nickie. "I almost forgot. My father's invited us both over for dinner tonight."

The boyish smile returned. "Really? Oh, okay."

Peter shook his head as he left, glad that his father liked Nickie, and that Nickie seemed to like his father in return.

****

With the meal finished and the dishes cleared, Caine poured tea as he glanced at the two younger men seated cross legged at his low table. "There are words whispered...in the station."

Peter gave a tight smile, knowing exactly to which words he referred. "Just Chinese whispers...no insult intended."

"None taken."

"Whispers about what?" Nickie asked.

"About Peter...and about you." Caine looked into confused but guileless eyes, knowing the innocence was not feigned. "Love... comes in many forms. Between two men is no less precious than that between a man... and a woman."

From the heat in both their faces, and the way they glanced towards each other, gaging the other's reaction, Caine knew they had understood his words. He pushed lightly to his feet and bowed.

"I must go. An errand to run for the Ancient." He reached out when Nickie started to struggle to his feet. "No. Stay... and talk, for there is much to say."

Caine stepped from the room, closing the soft fold of curtain behind him. Beyond, the Ancient was waiting patiently, his eyes glowing with excitement.

"You have told them?" Lo Si asked.

Caine bowed. "Yes. Now it is for them to...make the next move."

****

Peter knew his face was probably as flushed with embarrassment as Nickie's but, so far, Nickie hadn't denied his father's words. Instead, he looked harder at Peter, as if waiting for the denial to fall from his lips.

"Nickie?"

Misery and honesty shone in Nickie's eyes. "I hated it in Hawaii. I kept wishing you were there."

"Yeah, me too."

Gathering up his courage, Peter leaned across the corner of the small table and brushed his lips over Nickie's. He thought of all the new whispers that would travel through both of their offices, aware that not everyone would be pleased by the news. Yet, as he deepened their first real kiss, hand reaching up to cup Nickie's smooth-shaven cheek, he realized he didn't care. The people who truly mattered would support his and Nickie's choice, and the rest would either accept eventually, or move on. He pulled back, finding a new expression of stunned delight on Nickie's face.

Peter was still grinning when he leaned in for another kiss, knowing these were just the first of a lifetime of kisses they would share.

END


End file.
